Brush contact switch



July 7, 1931. H. F. HoLKr-:NBRINK BRUSH CONTACT SWITCH Filed Aug. 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Me/A /W/E/V TDR July 7, 1931.

H. F. HOLKENBRINK BRUSH CONTACT SWITCH Filed Aug. 13. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 )17 TTDR/VEV Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES HENRY F. HOLKENBRINK, F PORTLAND, OREGON BRUSH CONTACT SWITCH Application led August 13, 1928. Serial No. 299,302.

This invention relates generally to switches ordinarily employed to control an entire lighting or power circuit, with special reference to switches having brush contacts and 'l means for rapidly separating such contacts.

The main object of this invention is to provide a special form of switch and mounting therefor which willbe exceedingly compact in its construction and which will provide a central insulation completely separatingthe two sides of the switch.

T'he second object is to provide an improved toggling arrangement for the purpose of securing a smoother action for the operating lever.

The third object is to so construct the switch as to provide more and better guides for the moving parts.

The fourth object is to so construct the switch and its mounting, especially its brush contacts, that it may be very easily manufactured.

The fifth object is to so construct the device lthat it may be well adapted for use in batteries of any number of switches, due to the fact that not only are the sides of the switch separated from each other and from thev fuse compartment but that the switch itself is completely enclosed in suitable insulation.

These, and other objects, will become more apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan showing three of the devices mounted side by side in a battery. Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2 2 in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section taken along the lines 4--4 in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective detail of the bracket and guide rods. Figure 6 is a perspective detail of the slide and contact holderrods. Figure7 is a section taken along the line 7-7 in Figure 1 with parts broken away and in the upward position. Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but in the downward position. Figure 9 is a diagram of the toggle showing the throw handle in position W' to trip. Figure 10 is a. fragmentary `side ele,-

vation of a contact brush end showing its manner of contacting with a contact bar.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the device itself is mounted upon a molded base 10 having the longitudinal side walls 11 and the intermediate dividing wall 12. The walls 11 and 12 are joined by a cross wall 13. The walls 11 and 12 slope toward one end of the base 10, which carries the terminals 14 and 15 for the fuses 16. Holes 17 and 18 are provided for fastening screws. Contact bars 19 extend from the terminals 15 through the wall 13 and are provided with downwardly sloping ends 20 which extend into a recess 21 in the base 10. It is desirable to provide cut-out portions 22 in the walls 11 and 12 for the purpose of providing better access to the fuses 16. Contact bars 23, similar to the bars 19, also project into the recess 21 and connect with the terminals 24, which are held in position by the knurled nuts 25.

Mounted on the middle wall 12 are the stud bolts 26 between which the top side 27 of the wall 12 is cut away to provide clearance for the switch parts. A cover plate 28 extends across the opposite walls 11 between the stud bolts 26, and is held down thereby. The cover plate 28 is provided with an upwardly bulging middle portion 29 to whose under side is secured a bracket 31 by means of the screws 30. The edges 32 of the bracket 31 are flanged outwardly and provided with holes 33 for the reception of the screws 30. The bracket 31 isv provided with a pair of guide rods 34 which extend through the member 29. The closed side 35 of the bracket 31 is provided with holes 36 for the reception of the contact holder rods about to be described.

In the bracket 31 is placed a channelshaped slide 37 in which are mounted the contact holder rods 38 whose opposite ends 39 are .shouldered and threaded. The rods 38 pass through the holes 36 in the bracket 31. The slide 37 is also provided with a pair of holes 40 which provide clearance for a spring. On the slide 37 is secured a U-shaped extensien 41 having the ,laterally turned ears 42 Above the-cover plate A28, is mounted a provided with holes 43 which also receive the rods 34.

On the shouldered ends 39 of the rods 38 are mounted the contact brushes 44, preferably of laminated copper, whose central portion 45 is beveled at the ends 46 to match the ends 20 of the contact bars 19. The upper pair of leaves 47 are somewhat longer than the leaves having the angled ends 46, and one of the longer leaves is provided at each vend with an arcing point 48 preferab1y.vof gheavy metal crimped upon the lighter material of the spring leaf 47. Insulating .Washers 49 and 50 of ample size and thickness are provided above and below thespring leaves Aof the brush andare held in place bythe nuts 51 on theshouldered ends 39.

It will `be. understood that there are two complete sets of brushes, namely'one on each` `pair of rods 38. 'A spring 52 is placed on Veachguide rod 34 and passes freely through the hole 40 and bears against the under side ofthe ears 42. The function of `the springs is tonormally urge the brush members out of contactor toward the cover plate 28.

shaped standard. 53 which'is secured to the side 27 rby means of the screws r54. The

standard 53 is ,provided with the eut-turnedv ears 55 which receive the ends of the rods 34.

vBetween the sides of lthe ystandards 53 is mounted an operating :leverl 56 on a pivot 57 which journals in the Vsides ofthe standards 53. On the lever' 56 is formed a' projection 58 which carries .the laterally-projecting stud 5.9. On each sideof the flever 56 is mounted a toggle operating arm 60, also mounted on the pivot 577. yBetween the ends of themember 60 is attached the end of a bell crank lever 61 by means .of a Vrivet 62.

` the 'bell kcrank lever 61 is mounted in the holes 64 in the extension 41of the contact holder* slide 37 The arm65- ofthe bell crank lever-6l actsy asa stop for the .toggling position of the lever 61 by contacting with the edge 66 ofthe slide lever 56.

37 VShockabsorbing rubber blocks 67 are mounted on the guide rods 34-between the ears 42 and 55W. A housing 68 issecured toV thetop of the side 27 by means of thescrews 69. Ahand'le 7 0 is provided on the end of the lever 56 after the housing 68 is ,put into position. Thehousing 68 is provided with a slot571to ltwiill4 befobserved'that by'this construction itisa very simple matter -to forni the angling ends 46 so that 4they will form a. metal to metal contact withthecontact-bars 19 and i 23; whereas 'fifthie:indjvidualleaves of the brushes are bent in order'to securethe proper contacting face,as vis. sometimes done, it is quite diacult to.y formtheleaves properly.

V4The. operation of theswitch iseasily understandable fromFigiures 7, 8 land 9. F ig- The pivot 63 ofV permit the free movement of thef open whatever arcingoccurs will be at the heavy arcing point 48, which is well able to stand same;y

lVhile reference is made to a pair of brushes andra pair of channels in which the brushes lie, it-must be understoodl that it is equally applieableto a one, three or more pole t switch, and theftwo pole typefhas beenselect edvforillustration merely because it is used in the vgreatest numbers.

u Itcan vbe seen from above construction' thatv there hasbeenevolved a switch which can be, classified Las an 'externally operated rswitch whereingthe operating handle is outside of thefenclosing case and "all of the parts comf prising the' circuit are enclosed *underT the i metal cover. 1

iI ,am aware that have been vconstructedk in the past; it is therefore not my intention to coverwsuch devices broadly, but I do intend Vto cover all such forms and modifications thereof as fall ffair-vv'A ly within the appended `Vclaims. A

Iclaim.: I@

114A molded vbase for brush contact switches consisting of a rectangular base plate having three parallel 'Walls formed.

thereon rforming a pair o f adj acentychannels,

each of said'channels having fuse terminals at ,one end andbrushcontact bars at .the opl posite end thereof, and having aftransverse. partition connecting the outer andfinner par` tition between ,saidrfuse terminals and said brushfcontajctbars. v Y Y 2. `Av'brush contact switchopenatingmeehanism :consisting of .a coverplate, a llt-.shaped bracket mounted Yon ,the under side ofsaid. cover plate having'a pair of guider.rods;v

mounted therein extending lthrough k,said coverplate'ba contact holder within said bracket having asli'deon its outer end adapts ed torideon" saidguide rods and .having a` plurality off'rods on its lower end guiding in the bottom of saidfbrac'ket and projecting therethrough, brush members mounted on opposite palrs of'guide rods, a spring norma-llyholding said brushes'toward said cover plate, and a toggle mechanism formoving said brushes toward a switclclosmg posifl tien.. -f y A switch fh'avingzin ,combination a doublechannel jmolded base, ya pa-inof ,spec/edf hrushcontactfbars. mounted in eachchannel: havingy the ladj aeentf ends thereof turned downwardly into said channels, a Ybrushbe-k nfzmyl forms fof switches.

ros

tween each pair of contact bar ends, spring means for urging both brushes out of contact with their bars, a double guide for each brush, a slide between each double guide connected to its respective brush, and a toggle lever mechanism for operating said brushes in a manner to bridge said contacts by a relatively large movement of the toggle mechanism and to release said brushes to the action of said spring under a relatively small movement of said toggle mechanism.

4. A brush contact switch operating mechanism having in combination a cover plate, a cha-nnel-shaped standard mounted on said cover plate having a pair of outwardly turned ears mounted thereon, a hand operating one end thereof attached to said toggle operating arm mounted on the same pivot with said hand lever, a bell crank lever having one end thereof attached to said toggle operating arm and the other end thereof forming a stop, a slide attached to said bell crank lever, said slide having a plurality of contact holder rods attached thereto, a channel-shaped bracket having holes formed therein to receive said contact holder rods, a spring between said bracket and said slide, and contact brushes attached to said contact holder rods.

HENRY F. HOLKENBRINK. 

